Via Reuters/CNN.com:
A Texas legislator has proposed that pregnant women considering abortion be offered $500 not to end their pregnancies. Republican State Sen. Dan Patrick, who also is a conservative radio talk show host, said Friday the money might persuade the women to go ahead and have babies, then give them up for adoption….
Read more at the Reproductive Rights Prof Blog.
-Caitlin Borgmann
They just don’t get it. Not even slightly.
$500? Why not just offer them a Popeil Pocket Fisherman and a can of bait?
I’m curious about the fine print. My guess is that if the fathers refuse to relinquish parental rights after these babies are born, there won’t be any adoptions, so no $500 payments, plus the mothers will be responsible for child support for 18 years or more.
The bill doesn’t address this issue directly, but it does require that the baby be “placed for adoption” — i.e. it doesn’t hinge on the mother simply relinquishing her rights (e.g., to the father). So I think you are right, Ann. (I’ve now added a link to the bill to my post.)
Also, oddly, the bill specifies that the application form for the $500 will be distributed only to abortion providers. So apparently women who decide to put their babies up for adoption, but who don’t first make a visit to an abortion provider, can’t apply.
It’s just an incredibly sloppy, poorly thought-out piece of legislation. It’s amazing how casually some legislators will play with women’s lives.